Rotary scrap-metal compressor



Dec. 17, 1968 KUNITOSHI TEZUKA 3,416,439

ROTARY S CRAP -METAL COMPRESSOR Filed Sept. 2' 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gFIG 4 5\ '\-5 I In [MINI] r 18 E 1 9 :25. 20 l I r HI I 6 $4 6 1s A 25F10 g F j n llil! H l' v I 1 I; 16 g i 25 12F 1; 1G i r V 1 I +5 1; l \L\L INVENTOR KUNITOSHI TEZUKA AGENT 1968 KUNITOSHI TQEZUKA 3,416,439

ROTARY SCRAP-METAL COMPRESSOR I Filed Sept. 2, l966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 II? I? FIG. 6

INVENTOR 3b 2I/ 22 KUNlT'O l-H TEZUKA AGE N 1968 KUNITOSHI TEZUKA ,4

ROTARY SCRAP-METAL COMPRESSOR FIG. 8

Filed Sept. 2, 1966 a Sheets-Sheet s FIG. 9 '5 70 7e 23 INVENTORKunn'o's TEZUKA BY 2/5 L J AGENT United States Patent 3,416,439 ROTARYSCRAP-METAL COMPRESSOR Kunitoshi Tezuka, 34 7-ch0me, Minamisuna-machi,

Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 501,49Oct. 25, 1965. This application Sept. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 576,918 Claimspriority, application Japan, Nov. 4, 1965,

40/ 67,210 11 Claims. (Cl. 100-223) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Rotaryscrap-metal compressor for forming into blocks various iron and metalmaterials to be re-processed in a furnace, with a easing into which thematerials are introduced, coaxial compressing means above the casing,and means for causing relative rotary displacement between the casingand the compressing means.

Preferably, a presser element forms part of the compressing means and isrotatably suspended above the casing, means being provided for rotatingthe presser element intermittently while the materials areintermittently compressed in the casing. The presser element may be madereciprocable.

In an alternative embodiment, the casing is rotatably supported belowthe compressing means which is stationary. Elevating rams may bedisposed underneath the rotatable casing for moving the same to and fromthe presser element.

The present invention relates to a rotary scrap-metal compressor formaking compactly pressed blocks from scrap metal of various kinds, saidblocks having a'predetermined weight and volume, suitable for beingcharged into melting furnaces for re-processing.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants earlier,co-pending patent application Ser. No. 501,499, filed Oct. 22, 1965, nowUS. Patent 3,323,447, entitled Scrap Compressor, and constitutes animprovement over the basic scrap-metal compressor embodiment disclosedand claimed therein.

It is known that scrap lumps include scrap metal of various shapes,thicknesses and sizes, and that the interior of scrap lumps thuscollected contains voids of various sizes. For the compression of suchscrap lumps into blocks, hitherto generally devices have been usedwherein the scrap-metal lumps charged into a fixed casing are presseddown with a presser element having a flat compressing face. Thus theconventional compressors apply the compression force simultaneously toall surfaces of the scrap lumps, and therefore an extremely powerfulforce is required in order to obtain compactly pressed scrap-metalblocks.

To achieve this, all components of hitherto known devices, especiallythe compression c-asing, had to be made very strong so as to resistextreme compressing forces; this naturally involves large-scale andrather expensive apparatus.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel rotary-typescrap-metal compressor for forming such scrap lumps into uniform andfully compacted blocks, using only a relatively low or eveninsignificant compressing force of the device.

Another object of the invention relates to providing a compressor whichis capable of charging scrap lumps uniformly into the compression casingso as to form the irregular scrap into uniformly shaped and uniformlycompacted pressed scrap-metal blocks.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a 3,416,439Patented Dec. 17, 1968 ice rotary-type compressor which does not have tobe extremely rigid in its compression casing or other component parts,yet is capable to press the introduced scrap arnetal or lumps intocompact and small blocks, at low cost.

The subject matter of the present invention is closely related toapplicants co-pending patent applications, filed on even date with thepresent case, entitled Scrap-Metal Compressor, Ser. No. 576,915, Devicefor Removing Materials from a Compressor, Ser. No. 576,916, Scrap- MetalCompressor, Ser. No. 576,917, and Hoisting Sling Having FusibleConnection and Method for Charging Materials into a Furnace, Ser. No.576,919. With a view to avoiding details in each of these applicationswhich are only of a secondary importance, it should be understood thatthe disclosures of the simultaneously filed and copending applicationsare to be considered as complementing each other, where necessary.

According to important features of the present invention, the rotaryscrap-metal compressor comprises a presser element mounted substantiallycentrally above a compression casing and having an uneven pressing face,a mechanism being provided for causing relative rotary displacementbetween said casing and said presser element.

According to further features, the presser element is preferably mountedon a supporting plate which can be reciprocated into and out of saidcasing.

In the compressor according to the present invention, scrap lumps throwninto the casing are subjected to the concentrated compression of thepresser plate or element so that there will thereby be caused internalshifts within the scrap lungs. Owing to the compacting and intermixingof the scrap-metal elements, the voids therein and therebetween are aptto be filled up with the scrap material proper, and the portion whichhas suffered said concentrated compression will become compactlycompressed. Thereafter, a rotary relative displacement or movement iscaused between the presser element and the compression casing, forexample, by rotating either the presser element or the casing, or both.

The compression is repeated after the relative displacement, so that thescrap lumps will undergo concentrated compression in all its portions,even those which may have had no compression at first. By alternativelyrepeating the compression and the rotation, the scrap metal will beformed into uniform and very compact pressed blocks.

The present invention will be better understood, and additionaladvantages thereof will become more apparent, upon perusal of thefollowing description of exemplary, preferred embodiments thereof, takenin conjunction with the appended drawing, wherein FIG. 1 is a partlysectional frontal -view of one embodiment of the rotary scrap-metalcompressor according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, taken :along lines IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a presser element forming part of thecompressor as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, of an alternative embodimentof the inventive compressor, with parts being cut away;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, taken along lines VV of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 of another alternativecompressor embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a detail view of a modified casing structure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an actuating system for the ramsand cylinders of the scrap-metal compressor; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic electric control circuit for selectively actuatingthe drive means of the compressor.

Referring to the drawing, the compressor as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3comprises a mechanism for the abovementioned relative rotarydisplacement, including a fixed compression casing 1 and a presserelement 2 rotatable by appropriate drive means. The casing 1 ispreferably cylindrical and open at its upper end, and fixed on a bed 3.Two oil-pressure cylinders 5 are provided as drive means forreciprocating the presser element 2, mounted on a frame 4 installed overthe casing, and parallel to its vertical axis. The lower end of a ram 6of each cylinder 5 is secured with a supporting plate 7 having an axialhole 8 at its center.

As shown in FIG. 3 in more detail, the underside of the presser element2 is formed with convex-shaped protrusions 9 having the form of a cross,for example, and concave-shaped portions 10 intermediate the limbs ofthe cross. A gear 12 is disposed on the periphery of a disk 11 connectedwith the upper part of the presser element 2, and a shaft 13 is providedprotrudingly at the center of the upper face of the disk 11.

The shaft 13 of the presser element is rotatably inserted into the axialhole 8 of the plate 7, and is connected in a rotatable manner with thesupporting plate 7 by having a stop ring 14 secured to the upper end ofthe shaft 13. With these structural provisions, the presser element 2has its center line correspond to or coincide with that of the casing 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, a motor 15 is associated with or built into :aspeed-reduction mechanism serving as a drive means for rotating saidpresser element 2. The motor 15 is mounted on the side of the plate 7,and a pinion 16 associated with the motor or the speed-reductionmechanism engages drivingly the afore-mentioned gear 12, surroundingdisk 11.

Now, the operation as well as the function of the rotary scrap-metalcompressor will be described :as follows:

The description will start with the condition of the components as shownin FIG. 1 of the first embodiment. Scrap lumps are thrown into thecompression casing 1. The supporting plate 7 is lowered by means ofhydraulic fluid introduced into the cylinders 5 through pipes 17 so thatthe element 2, connected therewith, is lowered into casing 1. The scraplumps will thus be subjected to an at least partial compression,particularly at the location of the protrusions 9 of the presser element2. Thereafter, the latter is raised again to its original position bymeans of the hydraulic fluid being allowed to act on the cylinder 5through other pipes 18; the motor 15 is then started and the element 2is rotated at low speed, by means of rotational force transmitted fromthe pinion 16 to the gear 12. After a small-degree rotation, the element2 is brought to a stop when the motor is disenergized. The desiredrotational angle of the presser element 2 should correspond to .a degreesuch that the external ends of the protrusions 9 are shifted to aposition or portions of the scrap lumps which have not undergonecompression as yet. With four protrusions 9 provided in element 2, asshown as a matter of example, the angle may range from about 15 to aboutdegrees. It will be understood that there may be three, five or moresuch protrusions instead of four.

Subsequent the rotation of element 2, the latter is again lowered byactuating cylinder 5, as explained before, and the scrap lumps in thecasing 1 will now suffer a concentrated compression force in otherportions thereof which have not undergone the first compression. Thepartial compression with the presser element 2, followed by a smallangular displacement thereof, will be repeated several times. Thealternating operations result in pressed scrap-metal blocks which have auniform compactness and, moreover, a substantially large apparentspecific gravity.

The first alternative, preferred embodiment according to the invention,as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises in its relative rotary displacementmechanism a non-rotary presser element 2a and a compression casing 1awhich is rotatable by appropriate drive means.

The element 2a is similar to the element 2 described before; however,with the difference that the shaft 13, the gear 12, the motor 15, etc.have been omitted, so that the element 2a is screw-fitted or otherwiserigidly attached to the supporting plate 7 by way of a plurality ofbolts-19'.

The casing 1a, in turn, has a gear 20 at its lower periphery and a shaft21 protruding from the center of its lower end face, so that the casingis rotatably mounted on a columnar bed 3a, the shaft 21 being rotatablyinserted into an axial hole 22 disposed in the center of the bed 3a. Amotor 23 with a reduction gear, for driving the casing 1a, is mountedonto an arm 25 secured to a support or lifter 24, to be explained laterin more detail. A pinion 26, secured to the drive shaft of the motor orreduction gear, meshes with the afore-mentioned gear 20 surroundingcasing 1a.

This alternative embodiment is provided with supporting or lifting meansfor facilitating smooth rotary movement of the casing. A substantiallyring-shaped member, constituted by the afore-mentioned support or lifter24, is inserted between the periphery of the bed 3a and the lower endface of the casing 1a. The bottom surface of the lifter 24 is supportedby a number of small-size oil-pressure cylinders 27 provided verticallyon a base B. A plurality of balls 29 is interposed between the lower endface of easing 1a and rams 28 associated with the individual cylinders27. Thus, the entire weight of the casing and its contents is borne bythe support or lifter 24 when the rams 28 are projected, so that saidlower end face will be located slightly above the upper surface of thebed 3a, dispensing with frictional effects therebetween so that rotationof the casing 1a will be much easier. It will be understood that theballs 29 may be constituted by wheels or other rolling elements knownper se.

Describing now the operation of the first alternative embodiment, itshould be noted that conventionally, the scrap lumps will be introducedinto the casing In by way of a hopper (not shown) or similarconventional means. Thus, the charging will necessarily be one-sided sothat the lumps will pile up inside the casing on one side more than onthe others. Without the mechanism for producing relative displacementbetween the casing and the pressing means, it would be impossible notonly to throw scrap lumps in sufficient quantities into said casing butalso to obtain uniformly compact and regular-shaped blocks.

Thus, the cylinders 27 will be furnished with a hydraulic fluid so as toelevate lifter 24 and push up casing 1a; in this condition, the lattermay be rotated at slow speed when motor 23 is started. The scrap lumpsare continually introduced into the casing while it continues itsrotation so that the lumps will be piled up in a substantially uniformmanner. The motor 3 can now be stopped and the casing 1a can be lowered,once its rotation has stopped, by disenergizing the cylinders 27.

Thenceforth partial, concentrated compression of the scrap metal isperformed, as in the previous embodiment, by forcing down the presserelement 2a and alternatingly rotating the casing 1a in small increments.It is advisable to raise the lifter 24 before every rotary displacementof the casing, as explained before. The resultant blocks will beuniformly compact and fully compressed, as with the first embodiment ofthe inventive compressor, as shown in FIGS. 1-3.

The invention also contemplates the provision of other embodiments,having a construction substantially identical with that of FIG. 4 exceptfor the afore-mentioned supporting or lifting means. As shown in FIG. 7,a modified casing structure includes a casing 1b resting directly on abed 31; and having a washer 30 interposed between the interengagingcontact faces of the casing and the bed. Alternatively, a lubricant orthe like may be used (not shown) for smoothening the rotation of thecasing 1b. The support or lifter shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, as well as theelevating rams and cylinders and the balls between the casing and thelifter, all as shown in the previous embodiment, are of course, omittedin the modification. The bed 3b directly carries an arm 2511 whichsupports the abovedescribed rotating motor 23.

Furthermore, another alternative embodiment of the inventive compressormay be realized wherein the nonrotary presser element 2a in theembodiment of FIG. 4 is replaced by a rotatable pressure element 2, asshown in FIGS. 1-3. This will allow either or both of the presserelement 2 and the casing 1a to be moved, simultaneously or alternately,for achieving the relative rotational displacement.

This is shown in FIG. 6, actually constituting a combination of thefeatures of the first and second inventive embodiments (FIGS. 1 to 3 and4, 5, respectively). The upper portion of the structure corresponds toFIG. 1 while the lower one to FIG. 4, both the presser element and thecasingbeing rotatable by the respective drive means and 23. For the sakeof example, the rotation of the casing may be restricted to the chargingphase of the operation, while for the gradual and progressivecompacting, the rotation may be imparted to the presser element.

A schematic electric control circuit 70 is shown in FIG. 9, including anelectric source 72 and appropriate switches 76 for energizing andstopping the motors 15, 23 at a predetermined rate, in accordance withthe operational phases or cycles of the compressor. By the intercalationand connection of appropriate mechano-hydraulic or electro -hydraulicmeans, the oil-pressure cylinders 5 and/ or 27 may also be made part ofthe control system.

In any modification of the present invention, as described in theforegoing specification, the shape, number, and other structural detailsof the respective convex and concave parts of the presser element willnot be limited to those shown in the drawing (namely, in FIGS. 1, 3 and4), but it should be understood that these details may be modified inaccordance with the kinds of scrap metal or other material to beprocessed, requiring other configurations for achieving the bestresults, and also in accordance with the required sizes of the resultingcompressed blocks.

With reference to the schematic illustration of FIG. 8 it should benoted that the invention contemplates the provision of an actuatingsystem or mechanism generally designated by numeral 50, for the rams andcylinders of the compressor. In a conventionally known manner, the feedpipes (such as, for example, 17 and 18) leading to and from theoil-pressure or hydraulic cylinders are connected in the system 50 to asource of hydraulic fluid, for example, an oil tank 52. A conventionalhydraulic pump 54 may convey the fluid to said feed pipes overappropriate valves 56 and change-over switches 58. A pressurized fluidtank (not shown) may be provided on the discharge side of the pump 54which branches off to the feed pipes by way of a single feed pipe 60, bythe intermediary of the valves 56. The discharge pipes lead back to thetank 52 either directly, as shown, or by way of the same valves (notshown).

Owing to this arrangement, each ram may be moved back and forth (thatis, up and down, as viewed in FIGS. 1, 4 and 6), synchronously orseparately.

The change-over valves 56 may be provided, in conjunction withcontrolling and supervisory devices (not shown), depending upon thedegree of automation desired when operating the scrap-metal compressoraccording to the invention.

Instead of the above-mentioned pressurized-water, 'oil or otherhydraulic-fluid system, other hydraulic or similar systems may be usedto the same etfect. The cylinders and rams mentioned in thespecification should be considered with these possible mechanical andfunctional equivalents in mind.

It should be noted that one or more hydraulic pumps 54, compressors, orother sources of pressurized fluid may be provided in the actuatingsystem 50 in a conventional manner.

The foregoing disclosure relates only to preferred, exemplaryembodiments of the invention, which is intended to include all changesand modifications of the examples described, within the scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A rotary scrap-metal compressor comprising, in combination, acompressor casing for receiving materials to be compressed, compressingmeans substantially coaxially mounted above said casing and including apresser element having an uneven lower face toward said casing. meansfor causing relative rotary displacement between said casing and saidcompressing means, ram means for moving said presser element toward saidaway from said casing, and a supporting plate rigidly secured to saidram means and permitting movement of said presser element with respectto said ram means.

2. The compressor as defined in claim 1, wherein said presser element isrotatably suspended from said supporting plate and is provided withperipheral gear means, and said rotary displacement means includes drivemeans attached to said supporting plate and serving to rotate saidpresser element.

3. The compressor as defined in claim 2, wherein said presser elementhas a shaft passing through a bore of said supporting plate,substantially coaxially with said casing, and said ram means includestwo reciprocable rams spaced apart from said bore of the supportingplate.

4. A rotary scrap-metal compressor comprising, in combination, acompression casing for receiving materials to be compressed, compressingmeans substantially coaxially mounted above said casing and including apresser element having an uneven lower face toward said casing, meansfor causing relative rotary displacement between said casing and saidcompressing means, ram means for moving said presser element toward andaway from said casing, and a supporting plate interposed between saidram means and said presser element, wherein said casing is rotatablysupported and is provided with peripheral gear means, and said rotarydisplacement means includes drive means serving to rotate said casing.

5. The compressor as defined in claim 4, further comprising bed meansunderneath said casing, a substantially central shaft on the undersideof said casing being adapted to protrude into and rest in an axial holeof said bed means.

6. The compressor as defined in claim 5, wherein said casing hasperipheral lower face portions protruding beyond said bed means, andfurther comprising annular supporting means underneath said faceportions, and a number of elevating rams on which said supporting meansrests.

7. The compressor as defined in claim 6, wherein said drive means isattached to said supporting means, and further comprising rolling meansinterposed between .the top surface of said supporting means and-saidface portions of the casing.

8. The compressor as defined in claim 7, further comprising oil-pressureactuating means for said ram means and said elevating rams, allowingselective operation thereof independently from each other.

9. The compressor as defined in claim 5, wherein said drive means isattached to said bed means, and further comprising anti-friction meansinterposed between said underside of the casing and at least a portionof the top surface of said bed means.

10. The compressor as defined in claim 5, wherein said presser elementis rotatably suspended from said supporting plate, and said rotarydisplacement means further includes second drive means serving to rotatesaid presser element independently from therotation of said casing.

11. The compressor as defined in claim 10, further comprising controlmeans allowing selective operation of said first-named and said seconddrive means independently from each other.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSOlson 100223 Thorne 100-238 XR Bragg 100223 XR Crea.

Porter et a1 100-238 Tezuka 100238 8 FOREIGN PATENTS 249,425 3/1926Great Britain.

WILLY J. WILHITE, Prinmry Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Patent No. ,416,439

Dated December 17 1968 Inventor(s) Kunitoshi ZUka It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

line 11 QSEAL) .Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, In

Attesting Officer line 8 (claim 1) change "compressor" to (claim 1)change "casing to (claim 1) change "toward said away SIGNED AND SEALEDJuLzswas WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, conmissioner of Pat mq

